Coke decided to go public in 1962, on the heels of its launch of Sprite, which would become one of its most successful brands

Pepsi merged with Frito Lay in the mid-60s to create PepsiCo, setting the stage for the war today. Diet drinks popped up too, creating a whole new soda segment

Here are their stock values over the years. Pepsi's successful foray into the snack food biz with Frito Lay have helped it significantly, especially in the past decade. Meanwhile, Coke has stayed strictly in beverages